1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus for applying a nonwoven web to a carrier web moving in the same direction, comprising unwinding means for a roll of a nonwoven web, edge-trimming means for the nonwoven web which has been unwound, and take-off rolls, which succceed the edge-trimming means and serve to tension the nonwoven web adjacent to the edge-trimming means.
2. Desccription of the Prior Art
To permit an application of a nonwoven web in a plurality of juxtaposed convolutions to a usually endless revolving carrier web in such a manner that adjacent convolutions are closely juxtaposed or overlap each other in a predetermined width, care must be taken to ensure that the longitudinal edges of the nonwoven web recceived by the carrier web are at least substantially straight. To that end the nonwoven web unwound from a roll thereof is trimmed at its longitudinal edges before it is applied to the carrier web. Blut it has been found in practice that such edge trimming of the nonwoven web moving toward the carrier web is not sufficcient in itself to ensure that the longitudinal edges of the nonwoven web which has been deposited on the casrrier web are sufficiently straight to meet stringent requirements even though the nonwoven web is continuously tensioned between the unwinding means and the take-off rolls to ensure that the longitudinal edges of the nonwoven web will be trimmed along straight lines by means of leterally disposed cutting disks of the edge-trimming means. Even after the longitudinal edges of the nonwoven web have been trimmed the external loads on the nonwoven web and its inherent stresses may result in an unpredictable distortion of the nonwoven web because it has a low inherent strength.